Electronically Yours

EY has stumbled upon the first great pop track of 2008 thanks to Pop Justice and with daily myspace plays of over a thousand and glowing praise in the NME, we sense that this could be the beginning of a big, mainstream pop explosion that may finally see off the American led RnB invasion that has dominated and bored us all to death since the late 90's.

Some of the guitar rifts may seem a bit familiar on pop stomper 'Cryptic' for Pin Me Down is a very promising new side project of Bloc Party guitarist Russell Lissack who has teamed up with American singer/songwriter Milena Mepris whose impressive vox are a blend of Kim Wilde & Bjork.
Edgy, frantic and instantly agreeable, 'Cryptic' does seem to hark back to the months that directly followed punk - late 1980 - early 1981 when guitarists were messing around with more than three standard chords and producing some very melodic hooks. It's not all electric strings as 'Cryptic' is essentially electro which wont come as a massive surprise to Bloc Party fans who have dabbled rather brilliantly with analogue overdubs in the past (and have even been remixed by EY royalty - Ladytron).
The chorus is pure Kim Wilde from 1981 - and the track could almost be tailor made for Girls Aloud who have always had a nu-wave thang going on (and we love them for it).
'Cryptic' has a brilliant pop structure with enticing lead-ins to the chorus and the middle eighth is spine tingly lovely (we've always loved classic middle eighths - always a sure sign of a composer with a very bright future).
We think that 'Cryptic' matches the quality of Bloc Party's 2005 debut 'Silent Alarm' and that was a very special album.


Pin Me Down currently don't have a manager or label according to their myspace page but we suspect that they will be snapped up fairly soon and EY will keep a very close eye on them.

To sample one of our fave tracks of the week, head on over to the Pin Me Down myspace page before you do anything else today.

The Yazoo information service has this morning sent out its first press release confirming several live UK dates and news of a delux Yazoo boxset featuring the two remastered albums plus rare b-sides and remixes!

The 2008 UK live dates confirmed so far include:

- Wed 04 June, Glasgow Clyde Auditorium

- Sat 07 June, Manchester Apollo

- Thu 12 June, Wolverhampton Civic Hall

- Sun 15 June, Brighton Centre (orac's 40th birthday - spooky!)

- Wed 18 June, London Hammersmith Apollo

Depeche Mode founder and analogue legend Vince Clarke is looking forward to the first live Yazoo gigs since 1982; 'It's been really good going back to these songs after such a long while. Many of them have never been played live. I'm looking forward to performing them with Alison for all the fans who've enjoyed our music through the years but never had a chance to see Yazoo in concert'.

Pre sale tickets for the gigs will first be available through alisonmoyet.com from Jan 25th whilst other booking information will be online at yazooinfo.com

And if any of that wasn't enough, Mute are releasing a 4-CD Yazoo boxet featuring the two studio albums, b-sides, remixes and remixes all remastered with alternative 5.1 stereo mixes. The boxset entitled 'In Your Room' will go on sale in the UK during May.
Like the recent DM remasters, this boxset will come with a DVD that will feature a new documentary about Yazoo including 2008 interviews with Vince and Alison. Original promo videos for all the singles right up to the re-release of 'Only You' in 1999 also make up the DVD contents.

EY is currently blasting out 'Upstairs At Eric's' in celebration of this historic pop news!

BBC-4's continuing season of programmes dedicated to UK pop produced another gem on Friday night with the final part of 'Pop Britannia'.
If EY had the chance to chronicle and edit the history of British pop music from the late 70's onwards on TV then it pretty much would have been exactly the same give or take a few acts that Pop Britannia missed out on.

Of course, it's very difficult to condense such a vibrant history into sixty minutes (the electro movement from the early 80s would fill several hours of broadcasting) but Pop Britannia skillfully covers all the main points whilst capturing the passion and excitement of some very unique and much loved bands.

The BBC has come in for a lot of stick in recent years with cheap prime time quiz shows, bland police dramas and the most depressing soap ever made 'EastEnders' - a show recently compared to the banality of council tax bills by Mighty Boosh star Noel Fielding.
In an interview with Dr Who show runner Russell T Davies last week on BBC-4, Mark Lawson commented to the agreement of Davies that the BBC was full of people who had no love for the medium - too many frustrated wannabe movie makers. Like many across the land, EY dumped it's telly but occasionally, the Beeb can still knock out some of the world's greatest programming and this final edition of 'Pop Britannia' is one of the best music documentaries we've seen and we are not just saying that because it covers Human League, PSB and ABC etc (bland corporate 'pop' - the likes of Spice Girls and Take That - also get covered in great depth).

With the subtitle of 'Two Tribes' - this final part focuses on the struggle between art and commerce in pop music since the early 80's and begins with a brief overture of The Sex Pistols and why all that had to happen in order to drive away people dressed as wizards performing prog rock. Gary Kemp of Spandaul Ballet makes several informed comments and displays a real understanding of various genres explaining that before punk people actual thought that Eric Clapton 'was God' and that people were too obsessed with how well some hairy muso could play a 15 minute guitar solo - no chance of this happening with 2 minute punk songs built around three simple chords.

One artist who never seems to get much credit or respect these days is Midge Ure who was possibly tainted somewhat by Live Aid (more on that later). Many people seem to side step his involvement in the making of one of the 80's most important singles but Midge turns up to talk about Visage trendsetter 'Fade To Grey' a single that inspired a whole movement and it still sounds timeless and is massively important.
During rare archive footage of Kraftwerk performing 'Autobahn', Midge explains his inspiration behind 'Fade To Grey';

'I started listening to a lot of music coming out of Germany and this electronic synthesizer music which was radical in it's own way - but as radical as punk was against the (rock) dinosaurs, this was radical against the whole punk thing - not the three chord thrash thing. This took a little bit of pop sophistication.'

Whilst there is little that we officially don't know about the Human League story, Philip is up next echoing the views of Midge; 'We couldn't possibly do what we did without punk. We were more punky than punk.'
During a grainy clip of the 'Don't You Want Me' video, Neil Tennant in the many of several informative segments passionately states that DYWM is, 'A really, really, really good pop song' and adds how he thought that it was such a rare and creative time in modern pop music.
'Phil Oakey, what a brilliant character,' says Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand. '...when you consider a truly avant garde background he came from . What wonderful pop songs he sang...'


All new interviews continue as Trevor Horn is asked about the slick pop intelligence of ABC's unbeatable debut 'The Lexicon Of Love'. Again, you would need a whole hour to do ABC justice -particularly when discussing the finest 80's album in terms of production but Martin Fry gives a few insights into their 'commercial pop manifesto' whilst archive footage of ABC performing 'The Look Of Love' remains as magical and inspiring now as it did back in the summer of 1982.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood get a very good segment with Trevor Horn and Holly Johnson that focuses mainly on the daft media reaction to 'Relax' back in 1984 and how the fear of immanent nuclear attack during 1983 led Holly to write perhaps their biggest and most memorable single 'Two Tribes' - another timeless, 3 and a half minutes of brilliant pop.
Wham, Duran and Culture Club get good mentions for dominating the American charts thanks in part to exotic videos filmed in Sri Lanka that were made to give the impression that British music had reached everywhere.

Just as the UK scene was peaking, along came something that would seriously damage the decade as egos were forgotten about - the 'old aristocracy' were allowed through the back door to mix with pop's current elite. The charity was noble but the recording of 'Do They Know It's Christmas Time' would usher in several years of bland records and artists asking you to part with your hard earned cash whilst they raked in millions the following year in album sales thanks to Live Aid which really did bury pop.
Martin Fry echoes a thought that many wouldn't admit to at the time; 'I thought Live Aid was more destructive for music. In a way, it was a lot of artists from the 70's reclaiming the limelight' - Geldof, Status Quo and Queen were all but dead and buried in terms of music sales prior to Live Aid. Simple Minds were a decent band throughout the early 80's and whilst they benefited hugely from Live Aid exposure - the stadium rock tag would eventually cripple them. This was the time of Sting, Collins and Bono - their countless, preachy crusades to make us all 'better' people whilst their music got even worse from drinking too much tea in the company of Mrs Thatcher - who loved them dearly.

Pop was now part of the establishment...and it was dying.

Alex Kapranos says this of the next band who would single handedly save pop late in 1985; 'Another great example of eccentricity in British pop at it's best. I'm getting chills just thinking about those kinds of songs, 'West End Girls, 'Suburbia...'
Difficult to perhaps understand this now but the PSB's along with Depeche were one of the few mainstream acts that lovers of pop could fully embrace in the battle against all those Phil Collins, Dire Straits and Queen records that Radio One blasted out daily.
'We wanted glamour in our sound,' reveals Neil Tennant. Every track was produced to sound like it could come from a film sound track and Neil goes on to add;
'The Pet Shop Boys crop up at the end of the pop boom of the first half of the 80's. I always thought we were a transitional thing as we were like the last of the thing that started off with Adam Ant and The Human League.'

Although pop is walking wounded after Live Aid , this documentary is still very much engaging with reactions to Stock Aiken And Waterman who had huge success that began brightly with Dead Or Alive, Princess and Mel & Kim before PWL turned into a mass marketed production line that would dominate the charts for the next 4-5 years.
NME hated this 'embodiment of Thatcherism' - a 'soundtrack' of that 'cold woman's black heart' driven 'purely for financial gain' - but Pete Waterman gives good defence of the PWL 'do-it-yourself attitude' proclaiming that SAW were the real punks of the indie scene.
SAW's achievements were impressive but many of their records have been forgotten about and pop isn't throwaway. A great pop track should still be able to reach out and touch future generations.
Boy Blands from Ireland dominated the early 90's and it's worth being reminded just how shite they actually were. Amazing to think that this all really happened and it wasn't some awful nightmare.
There are lots of great quotes including a few from the colourful ex-manager of East 17 Tom Watkins especially as the documentary heads towards Brit Pop and Blur Singer Damon Albarn gives some fascinating thoughts on the whole thing and how Blur was a reaction to our culture being destroyed by American influence - the birth of those bloody awful shopping malls where some people seem happy to spend all their days.
Someone once emailed EY asking why the hell were were bothering to mention Pulp on the newspage - Pop Britannia introduces Jarvis and co with a direct link to to the Human League.
It's really important for people to understand how interlinked pop is and it's also important to know where pop came from originally. Most EY readers will already know about all this because you're all very bright.

I still get dragged into constant arguments after a bottle or two of wine with people who are totally oblivious to why bands like The Human League, Mode etc were pioneers.
Recently at a party, I got involved in a heated debate with a very angry Scottish person about The Style Council - he thought they were totally worthless and not worthy to be mentioned in the same breath as The Jam (whom I also love).
'Name me five decent Style Council songs,' he said.
I named six and tried to explain why 'Long Hot Summer' was a perfect pop song but he stormed off.
I don't mind debating music with people...but I will win especially when people carelessly brand all the 80's as 'cheesy' ;)

In future though, I may just give people who question the relevance and importance of pop a copy of this fantastic BBC-4 documentary to avoid the fall-out.

Sadly, this documentary with an EY rating of 9/10 isn't available to view to those living outside of the UK but readers within these shores can watch the whole glorious thing via this link within the next 6 days only.


Enjoy.

In late November, Italian band Hidden Place introduced themselves to EY via Myspace citing influences such as New Order, Joy Division and Gary Numan.
Their main Myspace image featured the sleeve artwork to debut album 'Fantasia Meccanica' featuring everyone's image of a dream Italian girl decked out in what looked like Thunderbirds head gear meshed with fluorescent green Photoshop layers.

The leading Hidden Place track on My space that week was the very moody 'Untited' with pounding synth layers, very catchy hooks and female with added reverb.
We couldn't understand any of the lyrics as she sung in Italian but 'Untited' went on to become our most played track of the week often blaring out at 11pm as EY updates were modified live online. We shall return to 'United in Just a bit...

Whilst spending too many hours refining the EY Top 50 tracks, EY was bopping away to the four Hidden Place tracks on Myspace . We had requested the full album back in late November which was due to be released the following month and the other tracks impressed us so much that we were delighted to find it available here in the UK via Musicnonstop - the online alternative music store who were very quick to embrace EY's best album of 2007 - 'Peek A Boo'.

That very morning, a copy of 'Fantasia Meccanica' dropped through the EY letterbox and for the past three weeks, it has become our most played album.

'Fantasia Meccanica' opens with the moody and atmospheric instrumental 'Spazio Zera' - an interlude track that appears three times on the album in various remixed forms and it works well with vocals for the final mix that closes the album with it's enchanting Vangelis BladeRunner soundcapes.

What immediately springs to mind about the next track 'Window Sill' with full Italiano vocals is rememberance for all those gloriously honest Pet Shop Boys b-sides from 1985 right up to 1988. All these tracks were built around cunning and haunting synth string chords - all minor chords yet extremely uplifting and this Hidden Place debut is pretty much built upon this classic template.
Their initial audience may be leaning a bit towards the Goth side of things but they are essential pop. All of these tracks are instant, perhaps slightly naive in terms of production but EY will always have a soft spot for rapid electro handclaps that defined the PSB's 'A Man Could Get Arrested'.

Track 3 'Picture Hall' has plenty of those rapid 80's handclaps and the whole track is the end product of what would have happened had the Pet Shop Boys hooked up with ZTT's Propaganda back in 1985 and we love it. EY has absolutely no idea what singer Sara Lux is singing about but it sounds seductive and lush and romantic.


Imagine perfect instrumental breaks prior to the chorus with searing torch like lyrics that lead into another perfect PSB-like b-side-melody oasis - 'Picture Hall' has it all.
Another instrumental interlude entitled 'Notturno Italiano' contains soaring synth strings and it's not too unlike Mode's 'Pimph' from 1988 with a stark almost Soviet like requiem played on piano. It's all a bit glum and moody until it blends into 'Notturno Italiano' with a driving bassline and melodic metallic overdubs lifted straight from 'Some Great Reward'.

The strings on this track move away slightly from the 80's PSB synth samples and veer more towards Propaganda's samples strings and this is a possible alternative club anthem.
So far, all the tracks are intelligently composed, they surprise and delight and show glimmers of rare talent. The fact that this album has already been licensed to other markets across Europe prove this and it's remarkable that a debut album has already achieved this but hardly surprising as 'Notturno Italiano' pretty much clicks within the first listen.
The structure of the chords is impressive but so is Hidden Place's ability to mix and mess around with the conventional structure of the 3 minute pop song - each track veers off in a melodic world of it's own and this is what makes you return to the tracks for repeated listens.
'Climax Soul' could be about sex but it's sung in Italian so we don't really know but it sounds fairly sensual to our innocent ears yet it has the most soul searing uplifting chorus - this has become an EY fave of 2008 with delicious Propaganda overtones.
The next track is 'Untited' - the first Hidden Place track we ever heard so it's a bit special and we are very fond of it. EY has been known to frequent the odd Goth club here and there and if only this track had been played then we would have fully embraced the night - the hook synth lead after the main chorus is pure bliss. It's pop - a bit like The Berlin's 'Drowning In Berlin' - as soon as you hear it - you know it makes sense.

This is the first album that EY has even listened to from start to finish in a foreign language - we have no real idea what it's all about but we are glad to have stumbled upon it...the closing HD track 'Center Of My Mind' is so PSB that you could almost imagine Neil Tennant chipping in with Sara on vocal duties - there really isn't a duff track on this album.

This is sublime electro pop with the most perfectly desirable European vocalist - a must have for fans of Propaganda and the PSB's earliest recordings with harsh bits...

EY rating: 8/10

To sample some of the tracks over at the official Hidden Place Myspace page, please click here.

Purchase 'Notturno Italiano'

Next up...the mighty Hot Chip!

Undo Records have confirmed that they will be releasing two new exclusive Marsheaux tracks on January 21st.
Strictly limited to just 1000 7" vinyl singles, this UNDO release will initially be a priority purchase for those who ordered the original delux 'Peek A Boo' from the UNDO and Marsheaux sites earlier this year and the label opened pre-orders at 3.00pm yesterday.

The first tracks recorded by Marsheaux since the stomping 'Peek A Boo' sessions in 2006, the hook laden 'Ghost' and 'Bizarre Love Duo' come enclosed in expensive packaging with a very stylish glow in the dark sleeve.
EY has been bopping away to both tracks during glum UK winter days since late November and they both made their collective mark at number 21 in EY's best top 50 tracks of 2007 - Marsheaux will sound fantastic on vinyl.
'Ghost' has the urgency of 'What You Don't Like' whilst 'Bizzarre Love Duo' has the experimental intro of 'People's Mind' before breaking out into possibly the best Marshy chorus so far.

This collectors item is really aimed at those who supported 'Peek A Boo' early last year and recognised it's briliance and these tracks will *never* be made available anywhere else.

To grab a copy for just 8 euros including P&P - simply hit on this link.



Pop Pop Pop Muzik!

BBC-4 are currently running a fascinating two weeks of programming totally devoted to UK pop from it's humble beginnings in the 50's right up to current day with acts such as The Sugababes.

Programmes include Paul Morley who despite his impressive connections with Joy Division, NME, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Art Of Noise and Propaganda - still goes weak at the knees and almost bleary eyed in the company of Mud man Rob Davis who wrote Kylie's definitve 2001 single 'Can't Get You Out Of My Head' (a track that Sophie Eliis Bextor's management had so foolishly turned down).

Richard X also turns up to talk about that legendary 2002 Sugababes hit 'Freak Like Me' before turning the tables on Paul about Art Of Noise - who exactly were they?
Segments also include Suggs - of one of the 80's most perfect singles bands - Madness - explaining the long lasting effects of The Kinks hit 'Lola' and why it was apparent ftom the demo of 'My Girl' that Madness had finally made their own mark on pop.
New Town Pony Club singer Tahita Bulmer recalls to Paul how seeing Madonna's video from 1989's 'Like A Prayer' on Top Of The Pops created a very personal moment that will live with her for ever and you can't help but be struct by how important TOTP actually was... yet the Beeb have ripped it out of the schedules...and replaced it with utter shite.

'Pop! What Is It Good For?' is massively essential viewing for anyone who cares about the power of pop - and where it all came from. TOTP may now be relegated to grainy old clips of nostalgia but there is still a new generation including the likes of New Young Pony Club who were positively inspired by the whole thing. Would we have had that band if all they'd watched was Pop Idol?

UK readers can access the archives of brighter musical days via this link whilst we also highly recommend another show in the BBC-4 series called 'How Pop Songs Work' - Abba, ABC, Soft Cell, Amy Winehouse and the art of the perfect 3 minute pop song.

It was without doubt a truly phenomenal year for nu-electro across Europe last year.
2007 kicked off with perhaps the greatest find in this site's six year history as Marsheaux emerged from Athens with one of the best electronic pop albums in recent years - no filler, just pure and glistening analogue pop that could have been made solely for Electronically Yours.

The site picked a vintage year to move forwards and embrace new acts with the sole intention of spreading the word and providing a platform unavailable elsewhere on the web where they could flourish and win over new fans.
Barely a month passed when there wasn't a new track to get excited about as bands from the UK and Europe continued to embraced their Micro Korgs and Moogs. They have all taken over Myspace - registering daily plays in their thousands - and EY owes a lot to this marvellous musical resource.
These new bands have provided us with a constantly evolving soundtrack to 2007 and their tracks will remain with uswell into 2008 and we've had a fantastic time covering it all.
Before we unveil our top tracks of last year, EY would like to dedicate this update to those who have rejuvenated this genre in the past 12 months:
Marsheaux, Roisin Murphy, Necroluxe, Electrobelle, Beauty Skool Dropout, Cassette Electrik, Northern Kind, Dead Dog In Black Bag, Rachel Car, Client, Daggers, The Ultrasonics, Schmoof, Crystal Castles, New Young Pony Club & Shiny Toy Guns...

Click on the artist's pics to sample their brilliance....


1: Roisin Murphy: You Know Me Better
Soon to be released as a single and quite rightly so, 'You Know Me Better' is Overpowered's most seductive offering - it's a single that will stay with you for life.
Roisin's passionate and powerful vocals with warm Roland SH101 analogue layers is one of the best electro combinations since Yazoo and EY simply can't get enough of this track.
The entire 'Overpowered' album is an object lesson to any would be producer/remixer - all electronic music should really sound this good on full blast without losing the effects of subtle overdubs and catchy background synths.

Roisin really should be as big as the likes of Rihana and Robyn and 'You Know Me Better' is good enough to challenge both of them.
Eternal brilliance and this track will get you all dancing at the next EY event...





2: Marsheaux: Hanging On
We've written so much about the delightful Marshy girls but when this track live at Hoxton last October, EY felt a shiver down the spine as the intro kicked in around a packed Hoxton Bar & Kitchen.
A very clever track sonically with sensual vocals and the year's most stylishly chic promo video (that can be viewed over at the EY Myspace page).
This is the best album opener since Dare's 'The Things That Dreams Are Made Of' and people with sound ears will be enjoying 'Hanging On' for many, many years to come.

EY was under no doubts as to how good Marsheaux were back in January 07 and it warms us that the band are now deservedly even bigger.

We will be bringing Marianthi and Sophie back for another live EY gig later this year and the girls are now turning their attention to a 2008 follow-up to 'Peek A Boo'..

(image: Marsheaux at Hoxton captured by Jimmy Messerschmitt)





3: Electrobelle: Mirrorball
An ' Open Your Heart' intro kicks of this sublime and edgy debut with other elements that include Yazoo and then the melody and power of Charlie's bluesy vocals hit you.
'Mirrorball' is the most played EY mp3 track since October.

It is rare for a band to emerge with a debut as striking as this and Electrobelle already have a considerable following across Europe after releasing just two tracks on Myspace late last year.

2008 will be their year and Europe's coolest label UNDO Records will shorlty be releasing the single in delux packaging.
Electrobell are currently remixing Necroluxe track 'Carbon Monoxide Smile' and their highly anticipated debut album is expected to be released later this year.

4: New Young Pony Club: The Get Go
Surely this will be released as a single?? This is easily the choice track from their impressive debut 'Fantastic Playroom' - a track where the keyboards take a bit of a back seat but are still essential in giving it that nu-wave appeal.
'The Get Go' is as instant as Martha And The Muffins eternally brilliant 'Echo Beach' - and the track would work even better as a full-on analogue electro mix just like...

5: Shiny New Toys: Le Disko
Originally a single release in 2006 for the US based band , the more 'traditional' version was remixed for a Motorola advert over in Europe last summer. Guitars were replaced with early 80's Futurist electronics and the results were amazing.
The Toy's record label missed a trick by not releasing this heavenly cheeky version that added to the seductive female vocals with attitide - but no matter - this electro mix will have a life of it's own on countless compilations.

6: Marsheaux: What You Don't Like
Marsheaux should release more singles and this should have been single number 2 across Europe.
Blindingly brilliant with crisp Micro Korg hooks that smack you in the face whilst you punch the air near loud speakers. This is one of the tracks that got the loudest of cheers at the EY event in Hoxton and Orac was cheering like a very drunk person, trying to keep up with the rather brilliant OMD crowd at the front..





7: Daggers: Money
This is power pop with a chorus that will uplift you to an unimaginable high. It may remind you of the Human League's glory days or Duran Duran circa 'Rio'.
This was one of the first tracks we played at EY 07 and the band kindly sent us 'Money' prior to it's release to play at our EY event and it will forever remind me of the buzz of that night.
'Money' has led the mainstream press and NME to name check Human League and Heaven 17 whilst the track itself already deserves classic status and if you ever see them in a pub near you - buy them a pint and dance like Andy McCluskey.





8: Necroluxe: JDL
The oddest yet one of the most captivating and expertly programmed analogue tracks of 2007 coupled with poetic lyrics that pump up the imagination. No obvious hooks until you return to it on repeat listens but real analogue sound innovation for the i-pod generation and off-worldly replicant-like vocals.
No pre-sets or vocoders required and EY Records are releasing JDL in the new year.

A mix of Joy Division and Interpol had they embraced analogue - Necroluxe are a band for those who like their Depeche just that little bit darker...




9: Cassette Electrik: The Smartest Bomb
Possibly the best song about unrequited love ever written to pulsating Moogs with the coolest of middle eights.
A former EY single of the month, Cassette supported the Human League on a few of the Dare dates and won over many new fans with many copies of their debut album sold on the night.
EY is pleased to have played a tiny part in spreading the word, they are yet another band you have to watch in 2008.







10: The Ultrasonics: Why You Had To Leave
You can imagine how delighted we were to end the year when The Ultrasonics contacted us via Myspace.
Barely a day has passed when we haven't hit on their myspace page to hear all three of their electrotastic tracks that will all create seismic electropop waves across Europe in 2008.
You will hear more of this band and in the meantime, we urge all you shameless lovers of pure analogue pop to check out Electroqueer.

11: Marsheaux: Dream Of A Disco
A former Popjustice Song Of The Day and a perfect tonic to winter blues, 'Dream Of A Disco' is one of several 'Peek A Boo' single contenders and possibly one of the catchiest songs to come out of Europe in recent years.
Blindingly happy with everlasting synth hooks and a subtle nod to a Flock of Seagulls.


12: Roisin Murphy: Movie Star
Sultry glam electro stomper with added sonic wizardry that manages to add to Goldfrapp's trademark sound from the 'Black Cherry' 2003 era as opposed to a facsimile rip-off that other artists are guilty of. An equal match for 'Strict Machine', 'Movie Star' is likely to be the fourth single lifted from 'Overpowered' in 2008 and it's a future club classic.



13: Interpol: No I In Threesome
The sweepingly majestic power anthem from Interpol's edgy 2006 album 'Our Love To Admire' and it's up there with the men in black's finest tracks such as 'Not Even Jail' and 'Stella Was A Diver...'.
Whilst the Editor's appeared keen to dilute their Interpol inspired sound after a promising start in 2005 in order to appear on the shelves of Tesco, Interpol continued to make challenging music that required a certain amount of patience from the listener (it took several plays before EY fully warmed to 'Our Love To Admire' though 'No I In Threesome' was an instant repeat track).

Melodic guitar layers, swirling keyboards effects and cheeky, swinging lyrics, this track was one of the highlights when performed in front of 10,000 people at Alexandra Palace in London last November (and Interpol really don't sound anything like Joy Division).



14: Beauty Skool Dropout: Saturday Night
Feisty Brighton electro act with a touch of Saffron of Republica fame. If you like a bit of white girl 'rapping' to furious hooks and sharp lyrics, then this band have several tracks on offer and quite a few of them have dominated the EY turntable throughout 2006.
'Saturday Night' is a song about drinking and dancing, a favorite English hobby which we have all perfected and we do all look better in 'neon light' after several pints. This track captured the highs of hedonistic weekends (and hangovers) and it's earmarked for 'UNDO_EY' in 2008.
It's only a matter of time before BSD breakout of Brighton and sign to a decent label.


15: City Of Lights: Marsheaux
Slow tempo and haunting track with whispery Marianthi vocals, a pleasing nod to William Orbit and his work with All Saints. EY would have loved to have heard this one live at Hoxton but the Greek Sensations (quite rightly) wanted everyone dancing.



16: Northern Kind: On & On
Northern Kind have the spirit of Vince Clarke in them and the main hook analogue in 'On & On' is something that Erasure have been missing since the early 90s.
This is a classy pop track with great production that helped Northern Kind reach number 4 in the itunes album chart for Scandinavia.
Sheffield lass Sarah has superb vocal range and the band are already working on new tracks for 2008 whilst a specially remixed version of 'On & On' will appear on the forthcoming 'UNDO_EY' compilation.




17: Arcade Fire: No Cars Go
A vastly superior re-worked version of a track that originally appeared on an EP but it fits perfectly amongst the best of Arcade Fire's impressive second studio album 'Neon Bible'.
Minimal electronics on this foot tapping epic but they are used to great effect and there is a lot of Talking Head's influence at work here mainly from the 1988 'Naked' album.
'No Cars Go' is a thoughtful track that changes direction midway through with lots of lovely melodic lead bits and Bjork-ish vocal harmonies.

This is another track that has dominated the EY mp3 player throughout 2006 and we still haven't been able to catch them live. A very special band indeed.




18: Schmoof: Northern Line
This is the track that convinced EY to get Schmoof onboard for it's first live event last year - we wanted to hear it performed live and on the night, it worked beautifully - Sarah is a unique performer.
A PSB inspired pop song about pulling someone on the London Underground, Sarah delivers her lines like Sarah Blackwood from her pre-Client Dubstar days.
A tale of girl meets boy to chirpy analogue rifts and the male vocals at EY were provided by Dead Dog In Black Bag live collaborator Anthony Elvin (last seen throwing a bottle at a happless jazz infected Vince Noir in series 3 of The Mighty Boosh) .

Useless trivia: Orac was considering singing the duet with Sarah but he bottled out quite late in the day due to stage fright.



19: Roisin Murphy: Overpowered
This should have reached Number One here in the UK. Undo had the album many months before it was released in the UK and they told me way, way back that EY would love it. They were right.
Shame on Radio One for not supporting this track but who cares about them these days?
All we need is myspace.




20: Dead Dog In Black Bag: Uncle Kevin

Another Brighton electro act with brilliantly executed female harmonies and seedy input from The Mighty Boosh actor Rich Fulcher for this choice track about a dodgy old Uncle.
Whilst researching the band for this EY update, we've just read that they have split up which may explain why we couldn't get an answer from them recently about the 'UNDO_EY' comp.
This song however remains a gem and Dead Dog were a mighty fine live band. Perhaps they will reform with a more 'media-friendly' band name? 9444 friends on myspace and daily plays of over 300 suggest that there is a full-on career in music waiting for both of these very talented Brighton girls.



21: Marsheaux: Ghost/Bizarre Love Duo
Two brand new Marshy tracks due for release as a limited UNDO edition on 7" vinyl early in 2008. Plenty of analogue hooks and catchy choruses on offer here that prove a tasty teaser for the next album which is due later in the year.
Fans won't be disappointed and these tracks will only be available on this LTD ED UNDO release (in lush glow in the dark packaging) with just 1000 copies pressed - and you won't be able to get these tracks anywhere else.

The chorus of 'Bizarre Love Duo' (no relation to the New Order classic) has been in our collective brains from the moment we first heard it.
2008 will be the year of UNDO.




22: Crystal Castles: Alice Practice
Embraced by NME and the London fashion victims who have seized upon this track, there is a a certain amount of hype thrown at Crystal Castles, but please don't let any of that put you off for this is genuinely genius electro.

Alice Practice was reportedly recorded off mike during a practice session (hence the title), but after many repeated listens, we're not quite sure if this is true - it's all a bit too perfect.
The singer sounds like she's been separated at birth from Karen O of Yeah Yeah Yeahs fame and a more subdued vocal performance can be heard on another EY choice track 'Crimewave' that comes highly recommended over at their myspace player.

Here's EY's best of the rest....

23: Beauty Skool Dropout: If You Like A Bit Of Chocolate...
24: Marsheaux: What A Lovely Surprise
25: Client: It's Not Over
26: Super Jupiter: Mystery Of Man
27: Necroluxe: No
28: Rachel Car: Behave EP
29: The Ultrasonics: It's Over Now
23: Dave Gahan: Kingdom
31: Marsheaux: Wait No More
32: Electrobelle: Ghosts
33: New Young Pony Club: The Bomb
34: The Ultrasonics: Love Addiction
35: Beauty Skool Dropout: Boom Boom
36: Schmoof: Warm Electro
37: Roisin Murphy: Cry Baby
38: Interpol: Pioneer To The Falls
39: Arcade Fire: Antichrist Television Rules
40: Mikro: Lullabies
41: Super Jupiter: You Know
42: Beauty Skool Dropout: Asian Boiz
43: Marsheaux: Home
44: Rachel Car: Go Go Go
45: Dead Dog In Black Bag: Love Meat
46: Interpol: The Heinrich Maneuver
47: Northern Kind: You Belong
48: Electrostate: Myspace
49: Hidden Place: United
50: New Young Pony Club: Ice Cream

A forum dedictated to EY's best band of 2007 was today launched here in the UK. Programmed and designed by OMD fans Robert R and Latex. this is the first forum in the world for the Greek Sensations.

Marsheaux have been so impressed with the commitment, love and support of the online OMD community who turned out in force for our Hoxton event last October,that UNDO have personally awarded their hard work with official status.

M.A.R.S.H.E.A.U.X - The Official Marsheaux Forum will have regular posts from the Undo team including Marianthi, Sophie and EY so hit this link and join up today for future news exclusives and details on the next big EY event in 2008.

Marsheaux's live version of 'Popcorn' performed at EY 07 is the first of many exclusives and you'll be able to follow a link to it once you become a member.

We all look forward to seeing and hearing from you throughout 2008 in the official Marsheaux forum :)

On behalf of everyone here at EY and UNDO - huge thanks for your continued support - Kali Xronia (Happy New Year in Greek) to you all!

Coming soon - the EY 2007 vitual music awards

Electronically Yours will be launching it's very own label in the new year and we are delighted to confirm that our very first release will be the debut EP from the immensely talented 'gloompop' London duo Necroluxe.

The idea for EY Records was born shortly after we first heard the Necroluxe demo tracks back in August (for our 'Introducing Necroluxe' article from that month - please click here).
EY had been waiting to find the perfect artist whom we could work with and promote and positively believe in - Necroluxe ticked all the boxes.

We were always looking for something slightly left of center, with a strange off worldly quality that would stand out within a genre that is really taking off in such a big way across Europe. Within a few minutes at a pub in Bethnal Green, we knew we had the right act and we clicked musically from the word go.

Necroluxe are huge fans of the Mute and Factory Records era of synth pop (our contract will be written from the blood of orac), they live and breath the genre and have an incredible knowledge and love for some of the lesser known bands who were never fully appreciated at the time - the Necros were into Marsheaux a good few months before EY had picked up on the Athens band.
Necroluxe have a love for early Mode, League & Vince Clarke but they also keep an eye on the indie electro scene and odd guitar band, they know all the words to Interpol's back catalogue and admire the way that band work.

Necroluxe have no desire to make pots of money or be famous, nor will they conform.

Necroluxe unique vocals and poetic lyrics are provided by Anouska Ch who also helps out with some of the synth layers ('UNDO_EY' track 'Carbon Monoxide Smile' was written and composed by Anouska back in 2006 on a Micro Korg).
It's rare to get such thought provoking lyrics that can paint a myriad of cinematic images in the mind's eye and it's a very precious talent. Anouska is a story teller - there are probably several best selling novels floating around inside her mind waiting for the right moment to unleashed - she is also frighteningly bright - bred from posh genes and this gives the Necroluxe narrative a depth that will extend the EP's lifespan well beyond the release on EY's label.

EY has had some very memorable nights out on the town in central London with Electromagnetic Anouska and we shall be interviewing her shortly which we expect will be the very first EY podcast.
The other more quieter half of Necroluxe is equally important. Martin N - who is currently taking a well earned break in Sweden where he's been 'living it large like a shifty polar fox' - creates the analogue soundscapes using secret recording techniques that he won't make public - not even to EY.
The band have spent many months on these tracks that will form the 4-track 'Neoteny' EP (there may be a bonus remix).

Martin has painstakingly built many analogue layers with sounds you're not likely to hear anywhere else - *no presets were used during the making of this EP*.
Music of this nature always takes much longer to record and refine but the results are always worth it and Necroluxe will get even better at their craft.
Technically very gifted and a huge fan of Alan Wilder's production work for Depeche Mode during 1983-93, Martin has studied the best sound innovators and his textured layers blend perfectly with Anouska's sometimes dark tales of seedy suburban life.

EY01 will be a lavishly packaged limited edition with a provisional release set for sometime in Feb 08. This won't be a CDR either but a rather collectable release for the analogue connoisseur like the early Mute releases before they lost the plot and sold it all to EMI who later abandoned the label's electronic roots by signing naff guitar acts. This will never happen to EY Records.
Future EY releases will focus solely on Necroluxe in 2008 with a second EP and full length album in the last quarter.

Before the seasonal break, Necroluxe completed a new mix of 'Carbon Monoxide Smile' and like may of their tracks, it gets better with repeated listens. Kicking off with a Moroder-esque intro and an intricate sequenced bassline that becomes quite acidic as the track progresses, Anouska delivers some brilliant new lines.
Upon hearing this new version, Barry Mallen - supreme analogue knob twidler of Electrobelle fame - sent us a message last week asking if he could have a go at remixing the track and production work has already began up at Electrobelle HQ. Both bands have admired each other's work since they met at the EY event at Hoxton and there may be further collaborations in the future.

To celebrate the release of 'Neoteny', EY is arranging some gigs for Necroluxe and the first confirmed date is at The Oakford in Reading on Saturday March 8th. Entry for this event is completely free! A classic selection of electro old and new will be provided by one of the genre's finest DJ's Maddy (pictured opposite).

Details of how to pre-order an autographed copy of 'Neoteny' will appear here shortly.

Lyrics for the forthcoming 'Neoteny' EP and Carbon have now been added to the official Necroluxe website as well as a biog. More will be added shortly and you can reach the site here.

4 remastered tracks from the EP can be heard in full at Necroluxe @ myspace



(images: orac)

Back in September, we couldn't get enough of a single called 'Money' from Manchester act Daggers. 'Money' was one of the first tracks played at the EY event in October and it sounded so perfect blasting out from the Hoxton's PA - a track that skillfully blends the nu-wave sounds of early League and Duran Duran with added hooks and modern glamour.

Since October, Daggers have been touring extensively across the UK and they have picked up some amazingly positive reviews amongst the mainstream press including NME.

One recent review posted on the band's myspace page that caught the eye of EY was from The Independent on Sunday and we just had to slap it in full on the newspage.
Daggers fully deserve the following praise and we also love the fact that the mainstream media is now recognising the pioneering work of Heaven 17 who for a long time were oddly ignored though EY has had blasted out H17 tunes on a weekly basis during the long years when Dr Who was criminally kept off air by soap nonsense... (it beat Corrie this Christmas in the ratings!!)

The Independent On Sunday

'The last time I reviewed Duran, I wrote about them alongside an up-and-coming Duran-inspired band called The Bravery, who looked to be in with a decent shout of emulating the Eighties legends' success. The way in which they've fallen by the wayside illustrates that, like Le Bon's aforementioned nuclear war, it ain' t easy at all.
Time for someone else to have a shot. Enter, from the recently revived city of Manchester, another young quintet with a self-evident love of the Eighties and a synthesiser or two up their sleeves.
Well, I say "sleeves", but in reality, singer Theo, who performs bare-chested in the shredded remains of a ripped-open T-shirt, has none. Daggers treat small club shows as if they were stadiums, and I love that. (The last time I saw a band play a pub gig with that kind of spirit, it was The Darkness, and their self-belief became a self-fulfilling prophecy.)
Before the show, Theo confided to me that after being on the receiving end of a savage beating in Manchester, he spent his recovery in hospital reading Simon Reynolds' Rip It Up and Start Again, a book that charts the way in which the post-punk generation viewed the scorched-earth that punk had left behind as a tabula rasa to redesign pop from scratch.
It shows. Daggers have digested the theory that there is no necessary divide between art and populism, and they're already putting it into practice. Their debut single "Money", which has been widely compared to The Human League, but which personally reminds me of Heaven 17 circa Penthouse and Pavement, is the sort of song that, with every listen, sounds like a potential modern classic.
If you want to gauge Daggers' potential, you aren't just looking at the Manchester scene, or the indie scene, or anything so irrelevant. You're looking at Planet Earth.'

If you haven't heard 'Money yet, hit on this link.

Coming up - EY's top albums, singles and TV of 2007 plus...the creation of a new UK electro label with the letters E & Y - the first act - the first EP. 2008 is going to be a good year for electro.

In the meantime, whilst thoughts of Kylie's lovely boots in the rather splendid Dr Who Xmas special still consume our every thoughts - hit the player opposite to rediscover which live act we'll be passionately covering in 2008...

One of the most memorable years for electro since 1982 may just be drawing to a close but Myspace has once again provided us with a band who are simply perfect for EY.
It's another UK female fronted full-on pop band and we make no apologies about that - it's a combination that will continue to work providing the tunes are special and the band we are about to introduce have three stompers on their Myspace page...

The Ultrasonics sent EY a friend request via Myspace and we were vaguely familiar with the name as we've been dipping in and out of an excellent site called Electroqueer that has recently been praising the likes of Marsheaux and other artists such as Roisin Murphy.
We headed over to their page and the opening track 'Why You Had To Leave' with it's warm Daft Punk - like hooks grabbed us immediately whilst we checked out Ultrasonic's other influences and you can't really go wrong if you listen to some of the coolest bands on the planet - New Order, Depeche Mode, Human League, Pet Shop Boys, Madonna and Blondie.
We hit repeat and the track remains as infectious as ever with cool beats and some even cooler synth bass sounds. The intro reminds us of Proper Filthy Naughty's sublime underground dancefloor filler 'Fascination' that was remixed by the Droyds some years back and the Ultrasonics couldn't have picked a better vocalist than Johanna Lee Gervin.
She is the definitive electro girl with spikey blond hair, endless legs and vocals that are ideal for classic pop choruses and breathy verses.
'Why You Had To Leave' has bass sequencing similar to Tomcraft's 2003 Number One 'Loneliness' and we still love hearing that track when it turns up unexpectedly on a club's playlist. The Ultrasonic's forthcoming single also has one or two bleepy synth lead sounds that are as catchy as the ones we hummed along to with Alice Deejay's 1999 gem 'Better Off Alone'.
Elements of three classic tracks all sequenced to form an absolute stunning pop song and one of the Ultrasonic's three producer/songwriters Cliff Millender makes no secret of the band's philosophy and plans for global domination, 'We started this project with the full intention of writing hit records. We wanted to write songs that dance music enthusiasts could enjoy, and at the same time still appeal to large masses.'
A former Popjustice track of the day, 'Why You Had To Leave' is expected to be released early next year and we predict big things for this track - keep watching this space...

Track 2 is an 'unplugged' version of the new single and 'unplugged' variations generally leave us feeling cold with memories of the MTV's early 90's series of gigs with acoustic guitars and real drums. We would have preferred some extended analogue synth bits but that said - this piano led version is rather pleasant and soothing.
Things do get back on track with another likely single called 'It's Over Now' that reached the top spot in Electroqueers chart recently (Marsheaux's 'Hanging On' is currently sitting at number 3). 'It's Over Now' has a Moroder-esque intro and it will pull you towards the dancefloor without fail.

It isn't easy to pick a fave out of the three Ultrasonics songs on offer and we should mention that they have some of the best production that we've heard all year but 'Love Addiction' gives us a funny glow. You could mix this in with Roisin Murphy's 'Cry Baby' or play them back to back...it's bound to get you all dancing at the next EY event.

Dive into the Ultrasonics and end 2007 on a real high by hitting on this link to myspace.

Electronically Yours rating 9/10


Coming shortly: some teasers on 'UNDO_EY' - our compilation of nu-electro which is tentatively scheduled for release in April 08, Necroluxe also catch the Moroder bug with their new mix of 'Carbon Monoxide Smile' plus we have details of their first live gig of 2008.

Mute look set for a major Yazoo promotional push early next year which is likely to result in delux remasters of the two studio albums.

Alison Moyet's official site recently posted the following teaser on the home page - 'This year will mark the 25th Anniversary of Yazoo's debut record release "Only You" so stay tuned for the celebrations'.


Fans are speculating that it could possibly involve some Yazoo tour dates in the UK to possibly promote a new compilation CD of mixes and unreleased tracks such as the 1982 live track 'Get Set' though none of this is confirmed.
Mute are expected to reveal all in the new year and a new official myspace page and website (with mailing list) have just recently gone online.

EY will be paying special tribute to Yazoo shorlty.
One of Orac's first albums along with New Musik's 'From A-B' was Vince Clarke's genre defining album with Alison Moyet - 'Upstairs At Eric's'.
EY will celebrate this landmark Mute release with a very special JVA remix - 'stay tuned for some SH101 mutated with Jupiter 8 crossed with a dose of Alison Moyet'.

The prayers for those without record decks have been answered this week with the news that Hooj Choons are releasing all of their officially approved League mixes onto CD.

All eight of the specially commissioned mixes of Dare gem 'The Things That Dreams Are Made Of' are now available to snap up on the enduringly durable shiny disk format.


HOOJ142LCD isn't available to purchase just yet over at HMV - who have now sold out of the extremely limited 7" that featured the new Martin Rushent mix - but the full tracklisting is as follows:




1. Richard Stone Club Mix
2. Kissy Sell Out Mix
3. Tiga Mix
4. Ilya Santana Dub Mix
5. Justus Kohncke Dub Mix
6. Richard Stone Dub Mix
7. Original Dub Edit
8. Richard Stone Radio Edit

The good news is that you can order this rare item by hitting this link but do so quickly as this is a strictly limited edition and the Tiga/Kissy mixes are sublime.

To hear the wonderous Kissy mix in full - please follow this link and blast it out.

The Dare tour has now reached Europe...go catch it whilst you can...it's a bit special.

Fri 14 Belgium, Ostend, Casino Kursaal
Sun 16 Holland, Tilburg
Mon 17 Germany, Cologne,
Tue 18 Denmark, Copenhagen, Vega Main Hall
Wed 19 Norway, Oslo, Rockefeller
Thur 20 Sweden, Stockholm, Berns

EY was absolutely chuffed to receive myspace communication from one of the Godfathers of electronic music - Sir Karl Bartos.
It was largely down to Karl's work on definitive Kraftwerk classics like 'Computer World', 'Neon Lights', 'The Model' and 'Tour De France' that inspired UK artists such as Martyn Ware, Ian Craig Marsh, Philip Oakey, Andy McCluskey, Paul Humphreys, Vince Clarke and Martin Gore to throw themselves into the world of analogue electro - and all of these people went on to dominate music worldwide.
Kraftwerk were never quite the same when Karl left and one of our favourite collaborations is Karl's work with Bernard Summer's Electronic in 1996 with the track 'Imitation of Life'. We also urge you to check out Karl's solo work from 2003 and our choice track 'The Camera'.

This is Karl talking...

Greetings to the EY readers:

Dear all,

this website came across - like a lot of things today - on MySpace and I think it's a great opportunity to build a new electro scene on the internet. You know, if it's not on a live gig, that's were the music is happening anyway, So, any culture is a form of conversation and now we're in communication, staying connected.

Take care and talk soon,

Karl Bartos & AudioVision



VISIONAIRE 53. SOUND

If you close your eyes, what sense takes over? Do you consume the world in sound bites? Are you moved by the art of noise? Issue 53 of Visionaire is dedicated to the theme of Sound.

Visionaire 53. SOUND features more then one hundred original sound pieces by leading artists, musicians, and personalities.

Issue 53 of Visionaire--produced this time around in collaboration with the British car manufacturer, MINI--is dedicated to the theme of Sound. Packaged inside a specially produced domed case, it consists of five 12-inch vinyl records, imprinted with images (picture discs), that together contain more than 100 minutes of sound content--from audio experiments to unreleased songs, samples and spoken word pieces. Also included is a MINI Clubman "Vinyl Killer" record player: a battery-operated toy car, containing speakers and a needle. As the little car moves along a record's groove, it plays each track, acting as a fully portable record player and sound system. Beyond all this, the issue also includes two CDs with all of the sound content gathered digitally, as well as a booklet of credits and instructions.

Contributors include: musicians U2, Pet Shop Boys, Unkle, Fischerspooner,David Byrne, Courtney Love, Michael Stipe, Adam Horowitz (Beastie Boys), Antony & the Johnsons, Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth), Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran), Karl Bartos, Andrew WK, Chan Marshall (Cat Power), Danger Mouse, Malcolm McLaren, Ruyuichi Sakamoto, Robert Wilson, Yoko Ono, Christian Marclay, Doug Aitken, Gary Hill, Sylvie Fleury, DJs Miss Kittin, Trevor Jackson, Towa Tei, Michel Gaubert; fashion designers Alexander McQueen, Helmut Lang and many more.

To find out more about this delux release, please click here.

Karl Bartos official website

Karl Bartos @ myspace

Following on from a highly successful tour of Germany last month with sleek analogue support from Marsheaux, Kate from Client contacted EY with news that the UK's finest all girl electro band will be returning to these shores with a very special gig in Soho where it all began for Client A & B back in 2003.

A few days prior to the EY event in October, the EY group were spellblinded by a rejuvinated Client full of confidence who performed an impressive back catalogue of tracks that sound even better now than they did back in the days when they were looked after by DM's Fletch.

Client's new live show will take place Soho Revue Bar on January 24th not far from where the original EY first fell in love with their full-on all-girl-satisfaction-guaranteed-electro during the new year of '03.
Doors open at 7.30pm and tickets cost just 10.00 sqid. Support is yet to be annouced but you can count on Client picking the very best of new talent.

EY will be there so come join us and celebrate a very unique UK band who have done things their own way and survived to tell the tale.

Snap up your tickets via this link.


Coming tomorrow: we hand over EY to...Sir Karl Bartos!

This is quite possibly the best mash-up we've ever heard and just when you thought that this particular artform was completed with Richard X and the Sugababes back in 2002, The Fast Ood Rockers have revisited The Timelord's hugely influential 1988 Number 1 'Doctorin The Tardis' and somehow managed to pursuade Alison Goldfrapp (if the rumours are true) to re-record her vocals from 2003's sleazy electroglam anthem 'Strict Machine'.

What makes this mesh-up so irresistable is that it cunningly combines all the things that EY cherishes, the original Ron Grainer/Delia Derbyshire Dr Who theme, Alison Goldfrapp's spine tingly vocals, authentic Dalek/TARDIS sound effects & KLF samples - the perfect Christmas Number One infact and miles better than any Take That/Pop Idol nonsense that most of us dread.
'Song 4 Kylie' has been around for a while now but animator Ladypat has put together an equally stunning video for the track featuring all sorts of Dr Who imagery with a festive theme to celebrate the forthcoming Christmas Special starring Kylie Minogue. Current Who imagery includes Alison as Cassandra, K-9, neon disko Daleks, 'Go West' Cybermen and a floating cloud of Ood heads - all of it more colourful than the title sequence from the Sylvestor McCoy era of the late 80s (and the music is much better) plus a dancing David Tennant - who is now officially Top Doc.
Trust us, you don't have to be a Dr Who fan to enjoy this. Simply click on the image to watch the video in full and spread the word. We need music like this.

'Whoo'!

(With thanks to A-Dam)

Kylie image © DWM 2007

It seems like many moons ago now since EY lured Athens' premier pop princesses Marianthi & Sophie to our humble League celebrations in trendy Hoxton on October 11th.

With the venue full and still buzzing from previous electro vibes, a much calmer Orac and many others moved closer to the stage around 10pm to witness a little bit of analogue pop history as Marsheaux took to the stage for their UK live debut.

To kick off their set, the girls had spent a fair number of hours in the blazing heat of Athens putting together a Human League melody that would ultimately lead into 'Peek A Boo' killer track 'Hanging On' .

For the first time since the very first EY event in October, we are able to present to you as a free download thanks to the genrous people at Undo - the full Marsheaux League melody and we are sure that it will bring back happy memories to all those who attended a dazzling electro night.

It's also a gift from Marsheaux and EY to all those who have supported us over the years - we can't think of a better way to kick off the new look EY (and we've had some great comments from you about the new design including one from Kraftwerk legend Sir Karl Bartos!)

To download Marsheaux's League intro - simply right click on the Hoxton image.

Some exclusive Marsheaux vinyl 'Ghost' news will follow shortly plus details about the very first release on the new EY label... so keep an eye on EY.

(Image: Marsheaux at EY Hoxton © Richard Price)

R-A-F-A  B-E-N-I-T-E-Z-!

Welcome to the brand new EY newspage, designed and programmed by Gary Crane.
We are still testing the page for bugs and will add some more news content within the next 24 hours.

In the meantime, do let us know what you think about the new design either by EY's email addy or that of our designer Gary. What about the content? Are there any new electro bands that you think we should be covering here on EY?
Should we be praising Brasillian electro act CSS and Sweden's Robyn?

Older EY content such as the League biography and news archives will be added over the coming weeks (it's a huge stack of content that has to be re-formatted and reconstructed).

Keep an eye on this page for the Marsheaux Human League mix that the girls played at our EY event at Hoxton in October!

(orac image: Richard Price 2007)

Author of the extremely readable electro blog Worrapolava contacted EY yesterday to alert us to his review of last weeks sold-out Dare gig at Hammersmith.
Last Thursday, we were due to launch our new and rather lush EY newspage but corrupted code and other issues (a typical Mac/PC clash) have delayed the relaunch until tomorrow night. Due to all these backstage html nightmares, our review of the League gig is still mutating away in a Word file and will appear on the new EY newspage later this week.
As regular readers of Worrapolava, we were thinking of approaching them to write a review for us whilst we try and cope with the backlog and they have very kindly agreed to let us steal their article.

We are very happy to present it here in full with some previously unseen shots from top EY photographer Richard Price plus an iconic shot from Dave Knight...

See things you thought you'd never ever see...
The Human League @ Hammersmith Apollo, London, Dec 1st 2007

My friend texted me just as I arrived at the Hammersmith Apollo last Saturday night for the Human League gig: "We're in the upstairs bar and it's full of old farts". Nice. I thought. Stands to reason though. The League have been going in various formats for 30 years and in recognition of the feat, the breakthrough album Dare! from 26 years ago was performed in its entirety, in track order. That's a lot of time passed if you were a spotty 12 year old like me when it became the album of a generation. I wracked my brain to try to think of something to make this gig report 'current' but then realised there's no need. Dare!'s influence on pop music is so deep it's timeless. And it sounds just as fresh, glossy and glamorous as ever.


The Apollo was packed to the rafters and as the opening handclaps of The Things That Dreams Are Made Of began, the place went into uproar. Everyone danced like Jo and Susanne: dancing babies with hands flailing in the air. The image of Phil and the two girls either side is an iconic image and the set behind projected equally iconic images illustrating the clinical lyrics of Dare!.
Open Your Heart sounded monolithic tonight. It's sequenced pop was perfectly suited to a massive hall. And it it's always a pleasure to hear the line "Make a shroud pulling comb through a backwash frame/Find the copies in a carbon mount pass around" (!) from Sound of the Crowd sung live by the man himself. Darkness is apparently one of Phil's favourite League tracks as he said to everyone:"I've always loved that song and it's great to be able to perform it tonight".

Do or Die, with its infectious latin rhythms, was followed by the bleak monophonic theme to the film Get Carter (a very Oakey idea for the album originally). The booming I Am the Law together with still excellent Seconds keeps up the bleak part of Dare! but then we're back into hands in the air. Love Action fulfills Oakey's 1981 wish for The Human League to be ABBA with synthesisers, and of course I always sing loudest at the "But this is Phil talking" line.

The climax of the first half, the 'button', was Don't You Want Me; the last track on the album. Put out as a single in time for Christmas 1981, it was not a popular choice as far as the band were concerned who thought three hit singles were more than enough. Of course it went on to become one of the biggest-selling singles EVER. "Shows you what we knew!" Jo Catherall said later in interviews. And the crowd tonight knew every word. Smiles and drinks aloft, especially when Susanne stepped up to sing her 'reply'.

The second half was a greatest hits extravaganza starting with The Lebanon ("And where there used to be some shops!" hahahaha) which sounded strangely uplifting. The rest of the Hysteria was ignored (no Life On Your Own or Louise, slight boo) but Mirror Man sounded lush, Human simply lovely and (Keep Feeling) Fascination as fresh as ever.

The encore was Oakey's solo effort Together in Electric Dreams, now firmly entrenched in the Leagues canon. The whole hall seemed to be bouncing en masse, and even the stage intruder lifting poor Susanne and swinging her around seemed in keeping with the feel-good moment.

The second half was a greatest hits extravaganza starting with The Lebanon ("And where there used to be some shops!" hahahaha) which sounded strangely uplifting. The rest of the Hysteria was ignored (no Life On Your Own or Louise, slight boo) but Mirror Man sounded lush, Human simply lovely and (Keep Feeling) Fascination as fresh as ever.

The encore was Oakey's solo effort Together in Electric Dreams, now firmly entrenched in the Leagues canon. The whole hall seemed to be bouncing en masse, and even the stage intruder lifting poor Susanne and swinging her around seemed in keeping with the feel-good moment.

It was a truly special event, as equal in affection and warmth as Marc Almond's 50th birthday concert in July this year. Phil Oakey was outstanding. The voice and its lusty croon is intact and stronger than ever. Pitch perfect, he had a massive 'who knew' energy, running about the stage weaving in and out of the girls. And, of course, without the girls it wouldn't be The Human League.

Text © Worrapolava 2007

(images © Richard Price 2007)

Take time to see the wonders of Worropolava via this link.

Support at Hammersmith and Stoke just a few days later was provided by EY faves and future stars of electro Cassette Electrik who were lovely company and were really buzzing at the aftershow party in London.
Moog fanatic Ole has posted a fascinating blog over at the band's myspace page together with some terrific backstage images. It will give you a nice warm analogue glow inside and it provides a unique insight for this highly sought after support slot to the Mighty League.
Opposite is one of several of the backstage pics taken from the article - Lucy and Ole met the star of Spaced (the decades finest comedy) and more recently Hot Fuzz - Nick Frost - who is also a huge League fan.

To read Ole's excellent tour notes, simply hit on the image opposite.

Back in October, Marsheaux opened up their debut UK live performance with a special mix melody of Human League classics. When the new EY newspage launches (hopefully) tomorrow, you'll be able to download this mix completely free!!
There are also one or two things happening with Necroluxe and EY which we should be able to confirm later this week plus all the usual waffle.

It's great round here innit?!

o r a c

After an amazing seven days in which EY was invited along to Mesh and Super Jupiter, we still managed to slip in a triumphant return to London from NY's Interpol at a sold out Alexandra Palace (which featured in the 2006 Dr Who eppy 'The Idiot's Lantern'). We were so impressed by the show that we bought a rather stylish girl's t-shirt, an Interpol badge and the new limited release of 'Our Love To Admire' with bonus live CD.
Life is wine..indeed.

Another sold out gig that we were kindly invited to was the big one for the Human League at Hammersmith and it's probably one of the best League gigs we've ever seen.
We will have more thoughts on that plus Mesh later this week just as soon as we are fully recovered from all the wine excitement...

Paul Clarke was at the League show in Manchester last week and as we at EY play catch up - here's what he thought of the analogue supershow:

'Saw the latest stop of the 'Dare' tour in Manchester last night. I've lost count of the number of Human League gigs I've seen but yet again this was something special.

Straight into 'Things That Dreams are Made Of' (any news on those new releases yet?*) then playing this genre defining album in its entirety for the first time. To the best of my knowlege I've never heard 'Do or Die' and 'I am the Law' live before and these were the higlights of the first half of the show.

A short musical interlude of 'Hard Times' before a singalong greatest hits section opening with the Lebanon, finally closing with an encore of 'Being Bolied' (the song that got me hooked on electronic music all those years ago and one I'll never ever tire of hearing) and 'Together in Electric Dreams.'

The entire evening was brilliant, from the stage set up to the visual presentation. My mate Liam wasn't even born when 'Dare' was released but is now a convert to real music. Now I've got next Friday in Sheffield to look forward to.'

(image: Philip on the opening night of the Dare tour © Richard Price 2007)

*The new 12" featuring the Kissy and Tiga mixes of Dare's 'The Things That Dreams Are Made Of' will now be released on December 10th through a new distributer. League manager Simon Watson confirmed the details to us on Saturday and HMV now have the mixes listed for pre-order via this handy little link.

EY reader Dave Knight was at Hammersmith's astonishing Dare gig:

'Fantastic gig at Hammersmith Apollo last night, here are my pics on Flickr (link here)

Was great meeting all the 'massive' again and apart from a poor security incident with Susan and a drunken fan at the end was superb from start to finish. Cassette Electrik were great also, and ended up buying yet another CD of their album for a friend!!'

The UK's best artist Roisin Murphy recently confirmed to music site PopJustice that the third single to be lifted from one her acclaimed solo album 'Overpowered' will be the one track that we EY heads have been playing on a daily basis since the aftermath of our Hoxton electro event with Greek Sensations Marsheaux.

'You Know Me Better' is masterclass pop, beautifully enticing, gorgeously produced and has some of the best female vocals ever recorded for an electro stomper. We've loved it since day one. 'You Know Me Better' made us track down all those classic early Madonna tracks such as 'Lucky Star', 'Borderline', 'Burning Up', 'Spotlight', 'Can't Stop' and even 'Gambler' (which is massively underrated).

You cannot fail but love this bassline and as the verse steps up a gear and Roisin sings about turning friendship into something a little hotter, there is the amazing lead synth that dances above the bassline, It makes you tap your fingers and in your head you see yourself playing these cunning notes on a synth. Very hypnotic, and when the middle eighth melts into view and Roisin purrs the line 'Though I believe the friendship can survive, maybe it won't if we do or we don't' - the chords will remind you of 'Lucky Star' and give you the same euphoric feeling you had back in 1983 when you first heard electro Maddy at her most brilliant.

Others may be taken back to the sheer joy of Madonna's other creative high point in 1986 with 'True Blue'. This new track is just as good as all that. So much passion in 'You Know Me Better' especially when Roisin sings the line; 'I can't wait no longer of waiting my turn
I've waited in line'.

There is real power in that vocal.
Every time I hear this track - it lifts me - even on a grey, windswept Monday morning faced with a week at bleeding work. This is the power of pure electropop made straight from the heart.

Those with a good ear and an interest in production will marvel at the clarity in which all these sounds have been captured and mixed from the warm analogue bass (a Roland SH-101?) to the sharp and rapid handclaps that signals each chorus.
This is genius and if you haven't snapped up a copy of 'Overpowered' yet then you really should. Our guess is that 'Movie Star' will be the fourth single and it's just as good, more of an electro four-to-the-floor stomper this one with a driving electro glam bass and Roisin sounding similar to Annie Lennox and her 'Touch' era back in 1983. A few nods to Goldfrapp perhaps but unlike others in recent times, Roisin actually adds to something to the the trademark sound so brilliantly pioneered by Alison and Will.

Marvel at the clarity and then snap up a copy of the album here..

These are tracks that you'll come back to for many, many months to come and we love Roisin for it. Click on the link opposite to see a recent performance of 'You Know Me Better' on 'Later With Jools Holland'.

This performance takes me right back to when the Human League shook up that series with some old analogue synths and sounded better than anyone else on that week back in 1995 with 'These Are The Days'. It's time that Jools did a full-on electro edition of 'Later'. Let me produce it and get the acts. My dream line-up would consist of the following: Human League, Heaven 17, Ladytron, Marsheaux, Necroluxe, Electrobelle, Cassette Electrik and Northern Kind. It would be perfect - we could even call it 'Later with Electronically Yours' ;)

In an odd twist of electro fate at the Water Rats venue near Kings Cross, I was chatting to Sarah Schmoof last night about 'Overpowered' and we were both agreeing on how impressive it all was. I explained that my favorite track on the album was 'You Know Me Better' and about 20 minutes later, it was played during a break between live acts and it was later followed by an 'Antics' Interpol gem.

Related link: Roisin Murphy & myspace

Electro remix masters Manhattan Clique invited EY and Sarah to a night of synth down near Kings Cross. It's always to refreshing to walk into a venue that you've never stepped floor in before and by 8pm the Water Rats was packed. Despite the crowds, we still managed to get served quickly at the bar and the DJ was playing some cool tunes.

Since receiving the invite, EY had been checking the three available tracks on Super Jupiter's myspace page. I kept returning to them (always a good sign) especially 'Man of Mystery' but more on that particular gem in just a bit.

The Water Rats is a charming venue with a lot of character and like the Oakford, it is close to a major train station. The buzz within the Rats was perfect, warm and inviting from the word go and the place quickly filled as Super Jupiter made their entrance. The band have a very unconventional yet intriguing look about them - one of the band members could have stepped out from ZZ Top - a far cry from the typical London arty types who pose behind synths and pretend to be cool.

This is real geek chic and two tracks in, EY track of the week 'Man of Mystery' is performed and I have a big grin on my face. I prod Sarah when the intro kicks in for this song is a hard electro hitter.

With synth chords lifted straight from the unlikeliest of sources - think 'Jump' - Van Halen's 1985 crossover hit - the band actually list Van Halen as an influence on their myspace along with Human League, Mode, Kraftwerk, Daft Punk and many, many others - its an eclectic mix of brilliance - and last night, SJ blended all those elements into one and produced the perfect live act.

'Man of Mystery' is a very special track and lead singer Terje (who could be separated at birth from Jimmy Sommerville yet performs like Freddie Mercury) actually has a very, very good voice. Another thing that impressed me on the night was that most of the keyboards were live. As a band, they are very tight musically. No missed notes and a live drummer linked to a multitude of electro drum sounds who pounds away like New Order's Stephen Morris and some of these songs are frantic.

Current Japanese single 'You Know' is also played, and the song comes delivered with faultlessly energetic vocals and an insanely memorable chorus. It has a rich bassline and provides the audience with a chance to jump a bit (the promo video opposite is lifted straight from Napoleon Dynamite and the ending is hilariously tragic)

A few songs in and Terje who explains that they are from Norway - (home of the mighty a-ha) - he also promises rather confidently that they have some very catchy songs for us...and he's right. I know nothing of these new tracks but their pounding basslines and soaring choruses are all instantly likable. I wish I had these tracks on me and the other thing is that they are loving it up there on stage. Absolutely loving it. Fans of Sparks will adore this band - there is a lot of Sparks in Super Jupiter and this is a very good thang.

We shall be keeping a very close EY eye on Super Jupiter. They have a new album out early next year and we are eager to hear it.

'Man of Mystery' and 'You Know' are the current tracks featured on myspace. Play them several times and we know that most of you will love them.

Super Jupiter @ myspace

EY faves Electrobelle have just this week had their sublime debut track 'Mirrorball' added to iTunes for the bargain price of 79 pence and a few of you have already emailed us to say that you've brought the track! Hit this myspace link to download. Electrobelle are currently putting the finishing touches to their EP that will include 'Ghosts' and one or two other tracks.

Necroluxe are also close to completing a stomping new version of 'CarbonMonoxideSmile' for our 'UNDO_EY' compilation which is due for release in the early part of 2008. We will have the full track on our EY myspace player.

EY hates Christmas but Northern Kind have a brand new track on their myspace player and if you rated Erasure's magical 'Christmas Crackers EP' back in 1988 the the chances are that you simply won't get enough of their festive analogue track. Once again, Sarah will remind you of of some of the best League vocals from Susan Sulley whilst the tune itself is a darn fine lesson in pure analogue pop.
If Northern Kind are making Crimbo songs of such high quality then you know that the second album will be rather special.

'Tears & Tinsel' is the best Crimbo song since Saint Etienne's 'I Was Born On Christmas Day' and you can hear it in full over at myspace via this link.

Cassette Electrik have a free ticket to give away for the sold out Human League gig in Stoke next Monday. If you live in the area, drop us an email and you could be hearing the 80's most important album 'Dare' played in sequence live!
Simply send us your details here.

We are away for three days (Interpol and League gigs coming up for EY) but keep your 'Dare' concert reviews and snaps coming.

Click here for EY July - October news archives including thoughts and views on the EY Marsheaux Hoxton event